Copless shuttle loom



E. G. MASCARENHAS Aug. 11, 1953 COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM SSheets-Sheet 1 Filed April 29, 1945 INVENTOR. 72d5 G. flascczrenhczs Jziorng fs BY I Aug. 11, 1953 E. G. MASCARENHAS COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed April 29, 1949 INVENTOR i Eneczs 6%.flasca7 2nficzs 1953 E. G. MA'SCARENHAS 2,648,354

COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM 5 Shets-Sheet 5 Filed April 29, 1949 INVENTOR.

0 Eneas Gn/7fascare7zfias E. G. MASCARENHAS Aug. 11, 1953 COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM Filed April 29, 1949 Aug. 11, 1953 E. G. MASCARENHAS 2,643,354

COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM Filed April 29, 1949 5 Sheets-Sheet 5 Patented Aug. 11, 1953 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE COPLESS SHUTTLE LOOM Eneas G. Mascarenhas, Minas, Brazil Application April 29, 1949, Serial No. 90,333

8 Claims.

This invention relates to a copless loom and has reference to an improvement in a type of loom in which a puller shuttle is thrown back and forth across the sheds.

The invention has for an object a mechanism in which the shuttle is electro-magnetically operated to be thrown back and forth, to pick up a weft thread on each reciprocation and carry it across the sheds. The entire operation is substantially automatic and controlled by the selective and sequential operation of electro-magnetic devices.

Another object of the invention is to provide a relatively small light weight shuttle which can be projected back and forth across the sheds by solenoid action.

A further object is to provide a construction in which the shuttle is associated with thrower barrels and related switches whereby the shuttle, in its movement into and out of the barrels, operates switches to control the operations relating to the movement of the shuttle and the treatment of the thread carried thereby.

A further object is to provide a simple and efficient means whereby the color of the weft thread may be changed at will in accordance with the pattern.

Further and more specific objects, features, and advantages will more clearly appear from a consideration of the detailed specification hereinafter set forth especially when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a present preferred form which the invention may assume and which form part of the specification.

In brief and general terms, the invention relates to a loom having sheds across which a magnetically responsive shuttle is adapted to be thrown back and forth. This shuttle is provided with thread gripping means at each end to pick up weft threads at the beginning of each movement and pull them across the sheds. The shuttle is thrown back and forth by reason of its relation with a pair of throwing barrels disposed at opposite sides of the sheds. These barrels receive the shuttle and are provided with magnetic means selectively energized to repel or reject the shuttle.

Associated with the barrel are thread carriers and holding means which will cooperate with the grippin means on the end of the shuttle when the shuttle has entered the barrel, so that the grippers engage the thread as the shuttle is ejected to pull it across the sheds.

Switches are provided on each barrel and operated by the shuttle as it moves within the barrel to operate the electro-magnetic means for ejecting the shuttle and to operate a cutting device associated between the thread carrying device and the barrel to cut off the thread after it has been pulled across the sheds.

The invention further includes electro-magnetic means associated with the thread carriers on which are disposed a plurality of threads, to move said carrier laterally and present selective sheds in line with the shuttle. This is for the purpose of introducing different colored thread as desired.

The present preferred form which the invention may assume is illustrated in the drawings, of which:

Fig. l is a partial view, in front elevation, of the loom embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the ratchet wheel switch which controls the color pick up motion;

Fig. 3 is an end elevation of the same;

Fig. 4 is a longitudinal section through one of the thrower tubes showing the energizing solenoid and switches associated therewith;

Fig. 5 is a similar view showing a puller shuttle entering the thrower tube;

Fig. 6 is a similar view showing the shuttle extending beyond the other end of the tube;

Fig. 7 is a similar view showing the shuttle moving in the opposite direction in the tube;

Fig. 8 is a plan view of the structure of one of the shuttle-operated switches;

Fig. 9 is a vertical section on the line 9-9 of Figure 10, showing the shuttle nippers gripping a weft thread, a weft cutter knife, and the Weft carrier;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the same;

Fig. 11 is an end elevation looking from the left in Figure 9;

Fig. 12 is an enlarged partial sectional view showing the manner in which the shuttle engages the carrier and picks up the weft thread from the feeder;

Fig. 13 is a longitudinal section through the puller shuttle showing a thread about to be picked up by the nippers;

Fig. 14 is a partial similar view showing the thread gripped;

Fig. 15 is an end elevation of the shuttle;

Fig. 16 is a cross section taken on the line Iii-l6 of Fig. 13;

Fig. 17 is a cross section taken on the line Ill-I1 of Figure 13;

Fig. 18 is a perspective view of one of the nippers;

Fig. 19 is a somewhat diagrammatic view showing the nippers approaching the thread feeder;

Fig. 20 shows the nippers engaging the feeder;

Fig. 21 shows the nippers gripping the thread after they have left the feeder;

Fig. 22 is a plan view of the feeder plate;

Fig. 23 is an end elevation there-of;

Fig. 24 is a side elevation thereof;

Fig. 25 is a schematic circuit diagram of the operating circuits for the machine; and,

Fig. 26 is a plan view of a portion of fabric produced by this apparatus and showing how the selvage edges are produced.

Referring now merely to the preferred form of the invention shown in the drawings herein, it is to be noted that there is the loom frame Ill, the breast beam H, the vertically reciprocable harness frames I2 and I3, and the thread cones 14 on the frame ID. The harnesses l3 and 13 are operated by any suitable means below the same (not shown) to move up and down in the usual manner. Straps l5 connect the respective harnesses with respective pulleys IE on a rock shaft l'l disposed on top of the frame was shown. The straps are so connected that when one harness moves down the shaft I? is rocked in one direction and when the other harness is moved 'down, the shaft IT is rocked in the other direction.

At one end, the shaft I! is provided with a rock arm l8 loosely connected to the upper end of a pivoted arm I 9 (Figure 2), disposed around a shaft 2e on a pedestal 2!. The arm it carries a pawl 22 engageable with a ratchet wheel 23 rotatable on the shaft and carrying a pin 2 3 which as it turns respectively, engages spring arms 25 and 26 pivoted at any suitable point and adapted in their movement to effect the opening and closing of switch elements 21 and 23 as shown.

At the other end of shaft H is disposed an arm 28 engaging an arm 29 adapted to operate a switch member (shown in Figure 25), as the shaft is rocked to make alternate connections to be later 'set forth.

As shown in Figures 4, 5 and '6, there are provided thrower barrels preferably in the form of rectangular elongated open-ended cylinders 3| of non-magnetic material such as brass. In Figure 1, it is seen that there is a thrower tube or barrel disposed at each side of the harnesses on top of the breast beam H. A solenoid 32 surrounds the barrel 3l intermediate its ends, and when energized, is adapted to repel and project a-shuttle member disposed therein as will be later described.

At the front end, the barrel is flared and enlarged as at 33 to permit entry of the shuttle thereinto since this end is the entry end. As shown in Figure 1, the barrels are disposed with their flared entry ends facing each other. At this end and on top of the barrel is fastened a spring plate 34, the end 35 of which extends up the top of the flared end 33 and has pivoted thereto a feeler plate 35. Switch contacts 37 are associated with this spring plate 34 so that as the plate is lifted the contacts are closed and opened when the springplate 34 is allowed to drop flat into normal position on top of the barrel as shown in Figure 4. The feeler depends across the upper portion of the barrel opening.

At the other end of the barrel there is another spring plate 38 having a dependent teat 39 normally projecting through a slot 45 in the top of the barrel at this end. Switch elements ti are associated with this spring plate and are closed when the plate is raised and opened when the plate lies flat on the top of the barrel. Each barrel is thus constructed so that as the puller shuttle is projected by magnetic repulsion out of and into the barrels, the switches are selectively operated for purposes to be described.

The shuttle device which is to be thrown back and forth between the thrower barrels just described, is shown most in detail in Figures 13 to 2-1 on Sheet 4 of the drawings and comprises an elongate shell of rectangular cross section made of three sections, hollow end sections 42 of nonmagnetic material such as brass and a solid center section 43 of magnetic material such as iron and steel. Adjacent the ends of the hollow shells 42 are partitions 43', apertured to receive a rod 44 which is moved back and forth as later described. The ends of the shells 22 are closed by cap apertured members #35. Between the caps 45 and the partitions 43 are disposed curved leaf springs having ends 46 adapted to lie normally close together. These ends extend through the cap 45 beyond the ends of the shells 42 and act as nippers to grasp the ends of weft threads in a manner later to be described. The rod 44 is so dimensioned that in any position, it may lie between the spring ends 46 at one end of the shuttle at a time. Thus in Figure 13, we see that the rod is at the right hand position and is disposed between the ends of the spring at the right hand end of the shuttle and at the left end of the shuttle, the rod 44 is withdrawn from between the ends of the spring at that end. It is perfectly apparent that when the shuttle cylinder is disposed within one of the barrels, and its solenoid i energized, this will create a magnetic repulsion which tends to throw the shuttle across the breast beam to and into the other barrel.

As the shuttle enters a barre1 its front end proceeds beyond the rear end thereof and as shown in Figure 13, is tapered as at 41, and engages an arresting plate or wall 48 which is provided with an aperture 49 through which the ends or nippers 46 of the spring project to be related to a feeder device now to be described. The

stop or arresting plate 48 (Figure 9), is mounted on a slidable plate 59 mounted within a channel frame 5| disposed on the top of the breast beam l I. It is of course understood that there is such a stop plate 48 at the end of each barrel, as clearly seen in Figure 1. The slide plate 50 has a rear wall 52 movable therewith and the channel frame 51 has a rear wall 53 and between these two walls is disposed a resilient cushion member 54 made of a folded band of leather or similar resilient material. Behind the wall 53 there is a bracket 55 supporting one end of a rod 56 which at one end is connected fixedly to the wall 52 and extends through suitable openings in the cushioning element 54. A coiled spring 51' is disposed on the bracket 55 around the rod 56 and between the end of the bracket and a flange 58 on the rod 56. The tendency of this spring is to return the wall 52 to normal after the first impact of the shuttle has been absorbed.

On the plate50 just to the rear of the stop wall is disposed a feeder carrier plate 59 which is transversely movable on the plate 50. On this carrier plate 59 are disposed a pair of feeder elements each formed of main plates 60 having closely bent over portions GI and a guide pin 62 to guide a thread 63 .from the cones [4 through eyes 64 on plate 50 between the main plate 60 and the bent plate Bl adjacent the pin 62. There are two of these feeder elements on the carrier so as to accommodate two diiferent weft threads which may be of different design or composition or color.

Disposed fixedly on the frame i at opposite ends of the carrier plate 59 are electro-magnets 65 having operable core rods 56 adapted when energized, to advance and engage and project the carrier plate 59 in one or the other direction so as to present the respective feeder elements in line with the aperture in the stop plate 48 so that the end of the thread held by the feeder elements may be gripped by the nippers or spring ends 46. As shown in Figures 19, and 21, the shuttle is shown approaching the feeder plates with the nippers 46 held apart by the end of the rod 44. As the nippers contact the feeder plates 60 and BI, they are spread apart thereby as shown in Figure 20, and the rod 44 is shoved back by the ends of the feeder plates. As seen in Figure 21, when the shuttle is then propelled in the other direction the nippers fall off the feeder plates and as they leave them, they come together and grip the weft thread therebetween as shown.

It is to be noted that as each weft thread is thus drawn across the sheds by the puller shuttle, it must be cut off at the station from which it is drawn and to this end I provide an apparatus which is in detail set forth in Figures 9, l0 and 11 herein. On the frame 5! is disposed a cutter solenoid 6'! having a movable core rod 68 which is propelled upwardly when the solenoid 6'! is energized. This rod 63 then encounters one arm 69 of a bell-crank lever pivoted at H1 on a pedestal H mounted on the frame plate 5i, the other arm 12 of the bell-crank lever acting as a cutter blade to out the thread 63 when the solenoid B5 is operated. There are cutting solenoids disposed at the rear of each carrier device as shown in Figure 1, so that as the shuttle travels back and forth pulling weft threads with it these threads are cut off respectively as set forth.

In Figure 25, there is shown the general circuit diagram of the operating elements and circuit connections therebetween and in considering them, it is to be noted that the source of power is indicated at 13 and is associated with a switch M which is opened and closed by means of a through switch arm and wires H and 78, with i the switches 4! for energizing the throwing solenoids 32. It is clear that the reciprocation of the switch arm 30 will alternately energize these solenoids so that the shuttle will be thrown back and forward across the breast beam. Return wires 79 and 8% connect these solenoids with the common return wire 8! leading back to the source of power #3.

The cutter solenoids 6'! are operated from the source of power through wires i6, 82, through switches 31 and wires 33 to the respective sole noids 6! depending upon the closing of these switches and then through return wires 34 and 8| to the source of power. As viewed in Figure 25, the upper pair of solenoids for shifting the feed carrier 59 are connected by wire $5 to the switch contacts 2'! controlled by the ratchet wheel 23 and the lower pair of solenoids 55 for shifting the carriers 59 in the opposite direction are connected by wire 86 to the other set of 6 switch contacts 28 controlled by the ratchet wheel 23.

In Figure 26 there is shown a type of fabric woven on this loom showing the line along which the weft threads are cut by the cutter mechanisms thus far described. The weft ends forming the selvage thus resulting may be treated in any suitable and well known manner to make them fast, and this forms no part of the present invention.

Referring now to the operation of the device, it will be clear that as the harnesses are operated to move up and down in their regular cycles, that the shuttle is thrown back and forth between the thrower barrels 35. As the shuttle enters a particular barrel, it closes the switch 31 which operates the cutting solenoid 61 at the other end of the weft thread. As the shuttle proceeds through the barrel, its forward end projects beyond the barrel and encounters the arresting wall 43 shown in Figures 9 and 12. This wall being on the plate 59 will yield somewhat against the resistance of resilient member 54 and permit the nippers it on the end of the shuttle to be spread apart by the feeder plates 69 and SI, so that as the shuttle is thereafter projected back by the energization of the solenoid 32 of the barrel in which it is disposed, the nippers will grip the thread as shown in Figure 21, and pull it across the sheds. When the shuttle enters the other barrel, the same operation takes place, first it operates the cutter solenoid at the other end of the shed and then operates the switch M, which will energize the thrower solenoids 32 to throw the shuttle back. It is understood of course, that when the shuttle enters a particular barrel and operates these switches, the momentum of the shuttle will carry its nippers into contact with the feeder plates in order that as the shuttle is thrown back out of a particular barrel, the nippers will grip the thread and carry it across the shed.

It is however, to be noted that at regular intervals, determined by the setting of the pin 24 on the ratchet wheel 23 shown in Figure 2, the switches 27 and 23 are energized selectively to energize desired solenoids t5 and throw the carriers for the feed plates one way or the other, so that a predetermined type or color of weft thread may be introduced into the fabric.

It is obvious therefore, that in considering this invention, it is to be noted that this device requires no stoppages of the loom for replenishing the shuttle and eliminates the usual cop changing mechanism. It also eliminates the pirn or bobbin winding process. It avoids the expense of shuttles and bobbins, and eliminates mechanical pickers and coacting parts. It greatly reduces the depth of the sheds and the throw distance of the lay resulting in consequent increased loom speed. Mechanism for the production of checked fabric is much more simplified and the entire device is efiicient, easy to run, and relatively simple to repair.

While the invention has been described in detail and with respect to the preferred form shown the drawings, it is not to be limited to such details and forms since many changes and modifications maybe made in the invention without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention in its broadest aspects. Hence, it is intended to cover any and all forms and modifications of the invention which may come within the language or scope of any one or more of the appended claims.

What I claim as my invention, is:

' 1. In a loom forming sheds, a magnetically responsive shuttle adapted to move back and forth across the sheds, throwing barrels disposed on opposite sides of the sheds and adapted to receive said shuttle, a solenoid around each barrel to be energized and to repel the shuttle to throw it out of the barreLswitch means associated with the barrel and operated by the shuttle when it enters the barrel to energize the solenoid, a thread cutting means, a thread carrying means disposed adjacent to each of the barrels, means on the shuttle to grasp a thread from the thread-carrying means as it enters the barrel, electro-magnetic means to operate the thread-cutting means, and a switch on each barrel and operated by the shuttle to energize the thread cutting means associated with the opposite barrel to cut the thread that has been pulled across the sheds.

2. In a loom forming sheds, a magnetically responsive shuttle adapted to move back and forth across the sheds, electro-magnetic means on opposite sides of the sheds, means operated by the shuttle as it reaches one side of the sheds to operate said electro-magnetic means to throw the shuttle in the opposite direction, a thread carrying means disposed on each side of the sheds, means on the shuttle to grasp the thread as the shuttle reaches each side of the sheds, means to cut the thread disposed at each side of the sheds, electro-magnetic means to operate said cutting means, and switch means operated by the shuttle as it reaches one side of the sheds to operate the cutting means associated with the opposite side of the sheds.

3. In a loom forming sheds, barrels disposed on opposite sides of the sheds, 'a magnetically responsive shuttle adapted to be received in said barrels, solenoids around said barrel to be energized to eject the shuttle, switches on the barrels to be operated by the shuttle to energize said solenoids, thread cutting devices disposed adjacent said barrels, solenoids for operating the cutting devices, and a switch on each barrel operated by the shuttle as it enters the barrel to energize the solenoid of the thread cutting device associated with the other barrel.

4. In a loom forming sheds, throwing barrels disposed at opposite sides of the sheds, each barrel comprising a cylinder, a solenoid around the barrel intermediate its ends, a switch disposed at the front of the barrel having a feeler plate dependent across the front of the barrel to be engaged by a shuttle entering the barrel, and a'secand switch at the rear of the barrel to be operated by the shuttle as it passes into the barrel.

5. In a loom forming sheds, a magnetically responsive shuttle to be thrown back and forth across the sheds, said shuttle comprising an elongate cylinder having non-magnetic ends and a magnetic middle portion, pairs of thread gripper fingers at each end of the shuttle, a rod slidable within the shuttle and of a length so that one end of the rod is always disposed between one pair of fingers, thread carriers disposed adjacent the sheds on opposite sides thereof, said carriers adapted to extend between and part the pairs of fingers as the shuttle abuts the carriers, said carriers forcing the rod back from between the fingers and moving it into engagement with and between the fingers at the opposite end of the shuttle.

6. In a loom forming sheds, a shuttle movable across the sheds, electro-magnetic means at opposite ends of the sheds to throw the shuttle back and forth, thread carriers at opposite sides of the sheds and cooperating with the shuttle, and means selectively operated by the movement of the sheds to shift the carriers across the axis of the shuttle to present different threads to cooperative relation with the shuttle.

7. In a loom forming sheds, electro-magnetic thrower barrels disposed at opposite sides of the sheds, a magnetically responsive shuttle thrown back and forth between said barrels, thread grippers on the ends of said shuttle, thread-feed plates disposed at each end of the sheds adjacent the barrels, carriers supporting pairs of said plates, electro-magnetic means to move said carriers across the axis of the shuttle, and a switching means operated by the movement of the sheds to selectively energize the electro-magnetic means to move the carriers to present selective threads in line with and to be engaged by the shuttle.

8. In a loom forming sheds, a breast beam, thrower barrels thereon at opposite sides of the sheds, a shuttle thrown back and forth along the beam between the barrels, thread grippers on the ends of the shuttle, a thread feed device disposed adjacent each barrel and back of the same, a movable carrier on which said feed device is mounted, means to resist the movement of the carrier away from the barrel when impacted by the shuttle, and means operated by the harnesses to'laterally move the thread feed device to present selective threads in line with the shuttle.

ENEAS G. MASCARENHAS.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 365,216 Winckler et a1 June 21, 1887 510,431 Lombard Dec. 12, 1893 514,089 Lombard Feb. 6, 1894 576,175 Weaver Feb. 2, 1897 636,773 Edler et al Nov. 14, 1899 1,976,095 Rourke Oct. 9, 1934 2,099,627 Rossman Nov. 16, 1937 2,135,373 Wilson Nov. 1, 1938 2,163,760 Moessinger June 27, 1939 2,203,568 Grondahl June 4, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 623,735 Great Britain May 23, 1949 

